Blood of the Moon {Remus Lupin}

Chapter 55

Thanks for commenting and voting! It means so much to me :)

Auriga walked through King's Cross station in a dress that was far too short for her liking, but she'd been told was muggle worthy. The station was as rammed as it always was - it was in London after all - with muggles everywhere and the occasional oddly dressed individual that was clearly a witch or wizard in disguise.

Picking up the students this year had turned out to be a full on operation, especially given the quantity and risk. There were the four Weasleys, Draco, Harry and Granger, all of whom would be staying at Grimmauld Place, save for Harry who would be visiting his Aunt and Uncle for a little while.

Auriga made up the back of the group, while Nymphadora and Moody were at the front, with Mr and Mrs Weasley behind them, and Remus and Sirius behind them. Auriga wondered for a moment how they were going to subtly get through the barrier-

She gasped as a pair of arms wrapped around her and pulled her backward behind a pillar, a hand clamping over her mouth. Auriga wriggled in their grip and tried elbowing them or breaking their fingers but she could hardly move she was held so rigidly. She watched as her group continued walking away towards the barrier.

Remus was the first to notice her absence. He peered over his shoulder before looking around with a frown, wondering where she'd disappeared to. Auriga kicked out and tried to draw attention to herself. His eyes found hers and grew wide, but before he could do anything a suit-clad muggle came up behind him and dragged him away and into a corner, out of Auriga's sight. A muggle? What would a muggle want with them?

Sirius stopped in his tracks now, looking for Remus and Auriga. A smirk played on his lips and his forehead crinkled in amusement. A pair of giggling twenty-somethings walked on either side of him. One tapped him on the shoulder, making him turn around, while the other kicked the back of his knees in. The two of them hauled him away while he kicked at them, but Auriga knew by now it was no use.

Moody stopped, and Mrs Weasley walked into the back of him. The four of them peered around, clearly confused as to how their numbers had depleted so quickly. Auriga saw Nymphadora's face fill with panic as she begin hissing things at Moody. Mr and Mrs Weasley drew their wands, but Moody's attention was elsewhere.

A group of four muggle sports supporters had stopped nearby, their eyes fixed on the four of the Order Members. There were two suit-wearing business men in a similar state, a train driver, a police officer and a middle-aged woman also stood nearby. Auriga would've said they were watching, but their eyes showed no activity. She tried kicking at the person holding her there, but soon gave in once more.

Auriga saw Moody pointing these groups out and then he stopped, placing himself between the sports supporters and the Weasleys. Nymphadora did the same, but Moody shook his head, pulling his wand from his pocket and hiding it in his sleeve. They were only fifty metres from the barrier by now. They could make it. Moody's mouth formed a single word that made the world spring into action once more. "Go."

Nymphadora and Mr and Mrs Weasley set off, running as fast as their legs would carry them towards the barrier. The middle aged woman, police officer, two of the sports supporters and the businessmen set off after them, running far faster than either of the not-so-athletically-inclined Weasley's could.

Their only hope of making it was Moody, who managed to shoot down one of the businessmen and one of the sports supporters without drawing attention to himself. But then the two other sports supporters tackled him to the ground while the train driver pointed everyone in the other direction. Auriga knew that he wouldn't risk having to get the obliviator squad out, so had no choice but to allow himself to be restrained. Mrs Weasley made it through first, and Mr Weasley would've been caught had it not been for the artfully placed Aguamenti charm that Nymphadora fired. But before she herself could make it through, the police officer caught up and marched her away in handcuffs. Auriga hoped she'd hidden her wand well.

She tried struggling some more but gave up again. She wasn't entirely sure what was going on. "Who are you?" she asked, trying to stomp on their toes. She got no response. In fact, Auriga's captor was stood perfectly calmly. "Let me go," she said lowly. But again, no response.

Auriga's attention was drawn away when Sirius tumbled through a nearby door, hair messy and looking rather crazed at the sight of Moody in the middle of the floor. The sports supporters too were completely still, like inferi, and Auriga was surprised at the lack of attention they were given. That all changed when Sirius landed a punch right on one of their noses. Auriga flinched - she knew how much that hurt with magic, let alone without.

She watched as the train driver advanced on him, and Sirius put his hands up defensively, backing away. And then, the train driver stopped. He blinked twice, and then looked around in confusion. In the same moment, the arms around Auriga let go, and she turned to see a muggle woman in a pencil skirt, who frowned at Auriga, and then picked up her handbag and strode off. "Hey!" Auriga called, "Wait!" But the woman was long gone.

Auriga turned around and headed towards Sirius and Moody, where they stood peering at each of the people nearby, wondering if they were about to be attacked again. "Have you seen Remus?" she asked, drawing her wand at the same time as Sirius.

"I thought he was with you," said Sirius, frowning even more.

"I don't trust either of you," said Moody, his wand twitching eagerly in his hand. "So Black, you can tell me your codeword?"

"Stardust," said Sirius, and he looked like he was trying not to flip is hair as he did.

"Did you come up with that all by yourself?" asked Auriga. "And mine's Flourish and Blotts," she added to Moody.

"It's supposed to be a codeword," said Sirius, "Not sentence."

"Enough bickering you two," said Moody, "Here's Lupin."

Auriga and Sirius turned to see Remus strolling quickly towards them. "Butterbeer," he said on approach, and Moody eased ever so slightly. "Did yours-"

"Just let go?" Auriga finished. "Yeah, it was weird."

"I fought mine off," said Sirius proudly. Auriga rolled her eyes.

"They were imperioused," grumbled Moody. "Pretty shoddy job if you ask me. Someone with low experience in the Dark Arts."

The three of them looked to Auriga. "While that may be so," she began, "There were thirteen individuals there at once. So it could be an overwhelmed individual with plenty of experience-"

"There," said Moody as six ginger heads approached them, accompanied by Harry and Granger. They scurried forward with their trunks looking anxious. Sirius opened his arms to welcome his godson, but Harry rushed to Auriga instead, with Granger hanging back with Ron. Mrs Weasley began a hushed conversation with Moody and Remus.

"Harry?" Auriga asked, placing a gentle hand on the panicked boy's elbow, "What is it? Where's Draco?"

"She took him," said Harry, looking like he could hardly breathe with all the worry in his eyes. "Your mum. She took Draco."